Cardamom Coconut Creamed Spinach

This is more of an idea than a recipe: creamed spinach tastes very good made with coconut milk, seasoned with a little cardamom. In retrospect, I should have added a little lemon, and sauteed fresh onion and garlic, but it was right before Shabbos and I was in kind of a rush. Presumably, it would taste better made with fresh spinach, but I went with the Bodek frozen.

I used coconut milk because I had a carton of coconut milk that I needed to use up and I needed the spinach to be pareve. The cardamon idea came from a friend who used to make pareve creamed spinach with slivered almonds and cardamom pods.

Cardamon Coconut Creamed SpinachI have to confess that I have made creamed spinach so often that I kind of eyeball things as I go along instead of carefully measure. Basically, I make a white sauce and then add spinach and seasonings. When I am not feeling rushed or lazy, I saute some onion and garlic first.

2 Tbl. coconut oil or olive oil
1 clove garlic minced (I didn’t add this, but I add this to creamed spinach when I am not rushed)
small onion, minced, 1/4- 1/2 cup (I didn’t add this, but I add this to creamed spinach when I am not rushed)
2 Tbl. flour
1 cup coconut milk (I used the boxed kind, which is less rich than the canned, but either would be fine)
1 lb. frozen spinach, defrosted (actually, I dumped it in still frozen, but defrosted is better if you aren’t rushed)
salt, pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp. cardamom
pinch nutmeg
lemon juice, optional (I didn’t add this, but it seems like a really good idea, so I will update next time I make this and add the lemon)

Heat the oil (and saute the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent) in small saucepan. Add the flour and cook a few seconds to take off the raw taste. Gradually stir in the coconut milk, stirring well to avoid lumps. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Add the spinach and seasonings, to taste. Heat until hot through.